Dearest Arpita
by Thamizhachi
Summary: Yash and Aarti has been married for three years. He didn't know he was falling in love with her. Until she was hospitalized. He didn't know that she was in live with him for years, until he read her journal. Now he has to make sure that his wife felt loved, when she returned from the hospital. A Punar Vivah Season 1 FanFiction.


The Sindhiya Mansion was in an uproar. The second daughter-in-law of the family, Aarti, was hospitalised that morning after she was found unconscious in the bathroom by her husband, Yash. For now the doctors were running some tests.

The first and third daughters-in-law of the family, Vidhi and Paridhi, we're trying their best to console the three children, Palak, Payal and Ansh, that their mother will be alright but they wouldn't hear any of that. Palak was even more distressed and ran to her father.

"Papa, will new mummy leave us like mummy did? Please Papa, don't let Aarti maa leave us." The child begged her father.

Yash picked the child up and brushed away the tears. "No dear. Aarti Maa would never leave us. You know she loves you three so much, right? She would never leave you three. I wouldn't let anyone take her away from us. I promise." He said.

Palak smiled. She knew her father would keep his promised. Reassured, she ran to her brother and sister and reassured them that Daddy would keep Mommy safe.

Yash, who kept his inner turmoil hidden from his family, broke down the moment he reached his bedroom. The room that earlier filled with the memories of Arpita, now reminded him of Aarti.

He sat on their bed. On her side. He took the pillow that was resting on the bed and hugged it. He brought the pillow up to his nose and inhaled deeply. It still held her fragrance. Light mint with lavender. The fragrance was so her. His eyes caught the silver ring on the bedside table. She always wore it, except when she went to bath. He was always curious about the ring, but he never asked her about it. And he never talked to her about anything. Her likes and dislikes, her preferences, her hobbies. And he regretted it now.

He didn't love her then, when they were married. He had known her since he was twenty three. To him, she was Arpita's best friend. The person who organised his and Arpita's wedding, his daughters' favourite Aunt, later on his new wife. He was after all still in love with Arpita. Payal was only a couple months old when Arpita died. Aarti was newly divorced from her abusive husband, Prasanth. And his parents talked her into marrying him. And it was a win-win situation. She needed a father to her son, Ansh. He needed a mother to his daughters, Palak and Payal. Now three years later, he was on the verge of falling in love. But she was hospitalised.

With the thoughts still troubling him, Yash walked toward the table, where Arpita's photo rested, the silver ring still clutched in his hand. He knew that Aarti preferred to keep her most loved possessions in the drawer of the table. He has to keep it safe, for he knew that she would miss it when she was back from the hospital.

He slid the drawer open, and placed the ring inside.as he was about to close it, his eyes caught a journal in the drawer. Now he knew rather well that, Arpita didn't write a journal. So it must be Aarti's. He didn't want to cross the line, but he needed to feel her. What better way to go through her thoughts? Right?

At least that what he told himself.

He took the journal tentatively. After checking that the door of the room was locked, he sat on her side of the bed. The pillow from earlier hugged to one side of his chest, he opened the journal.

The first page of the journal had her name written in block letters.

 ** _AARTI YASH SINDHIYA._**

A smile touched his lips. He read the name in a whisper. Their names sounded good together.

He turned the next page. It was dated a week after their marriage.

 _1 March, 2012._

 _Dearest Arpita,_

 _Do you remember the day we first met? I still do. We were in our tenth standard. In different schools. We were partnered for the inter school project work. We hated each other for the better part of the project, but when the time came to submitting the project, we were inseparable. And has been ever since._

 _You were my rock. When my parents died in the car crash, when my heart broke into a million pieces, when I made the shittiest decision to marry Prasanth, when I went through a nasty marriage full of beatings, when I decided to free myself from that monster._

 _You were there to celebrate with me when we got into the college and hostel together, when I found out about my pregnancy, and much more._

 _What I am trying to say is, I Miss You, Arpita._

 _The last few months has been hectic. I am married to your husband now._

 _I am sorry, Arpita._ _I am not trying to take your place. We are just co-parents. And nothing more._

 _And I swear that I will love Palak and Payal as much as you love them. As much as I love Ansh._ _I will be their Mother. And I will make sure they know you. They will know their Arpita Maa._

 _I promise._

 _Love,_

 _Aarti._

Yash sighed as he clutched the journal. It was touching. He knew Arpita and Aarti were friends from school days. But he didn't know that they were from different schools.

As much as he tried he couldn't picture neither Arpita nor Aarti hating anyone.

Shaking his head, he turned the next page.


End file.
